Health Care Practicum
The Practicum in Healthcare Management affords students the opportunity to spend approximately one day per week in the field for one trimester, observing health care managers and completing projects for their assigned organization. Students spend 3-5 hours/week researching disciplinary areas related to their practicum experience. The class meets as a group every other week to discuss students’ field experiences and selected readings. By the completion of the course, students will be able to: describe the types of settings in which health care managers work and the challenges associated with working in these settings; define the agendas and functions typical of key organizational stakeholders (trustees, physicians, professional and non-professional employees, patients and families, etc.); suggest ways to analyze and manage the conflicts and power struggles inherent in these divergent functions and agendas using good communication, management, and leadership skills.